Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethlehem, PA and Alesund Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethlehem, PA and Alesund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,673 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $2,382 in Alesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,810 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $3,761 in Alesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,946 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $5,140 in Alesund, rent included.

Bethlehem, PA costs about 12% more than Alesund, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Bethlehem, PA and Alesund sit above the global median – Bethlehem, PA by 95%, Alesund by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.27 $18.27

$21.51 NOK 201

-15.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 $50.3

$91.1 NOK 850

-44.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.83 $12.83

$13.55 NOK 126

-5.31%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$4.27 NOK 39.80

23.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.06 NOK 19.26

44.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.32 NOK 21.64

-18.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 $5.40

$11.99 NOK 112

-54.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$9.52 NOK 88.8

-14.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$2.41 NOK 22.50

-51.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.99 NOK 27.90

32.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.29 NOK 30.70

28.27%

Eggs

$4.16 $4.16

$4.62 NOK 43.13

-9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 $11.91

$15.27 NOK 142

-22.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$14.28 NOK 133

13.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.43 $18.43

$21.17 NOK 198

-12.94%

Apples (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$2.69 NOK 25.08

373.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.44 NOK 22.80

-31.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$2.28 NOK 21.30

163.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.48 $7.48

$3.71 NOK 34.66

101.62%

Potato (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$2.59 NOK 24.19

115.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.59 NOK 14.88

91.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.00 NOK 28.04

-6.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.04 NOK 19.06

-9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.55 $9.55

$15.56 NOK 145

-38.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 $17.71

$18.44 NOK 172

-3.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.47 NOK 32.41

-44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$4.17 NOK 38.87

-19.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$5.02 NOK 46.80

-59.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.5 NOK 826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 $3.15

$12.79 NOK 119

-75.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.92 NOK 17.88

-5.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.71 $29.71

$74.7 NOK 697

-60.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.35 NOK 21.94

-56.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.7K $37.7K

$48.5K NOK 452.5K

-22.27%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.7K $26.7K

$43.6K NOK 406.7K

-38.63%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$203 $203

$289 NOK 2,700

-29.77%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$64.0 $64.0

$31.36 NOK 293

103.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.1 $77.1

$59.8 NOK 558

28.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 $36.23

$60.0 NOK 560

-39.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.50 NOK 303

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

$18.18 NOK 170

-16.61%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$997 $997

$247 NOK 2,307

303.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K $25.6K

$2,596 NOK 24.2K

885.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$88.5 NOK 825

-39.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.02 $30.02

$45.90 NOK 428

-34.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 $68.0

$117 NOK 1,090

-41.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 $83.6

$145 NOK 1,355

-42.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 $1,519

$1,095 NOK 10.2K

38.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$814 NOK 7,591

67.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,186 $2,186

$1,153 NOK 10.8K

89.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,105 $2,105

$1,674 NOK 15.6K

25.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,096 $2,096

$4,496 NOK 42.0K

-53.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,128 $2,128

$2,529 NOK 23.6K

-15.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,488 $3,488

$4,238 NOK 39.5K

-17.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

4.22

54.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bethlehem, PA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Alesund: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,519 in Bethlehem, PA versus $1,095 in Alesund. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Alesund, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Bethlehem, PA versus $91.0 in Alesund. Groceries tell a different story – $500 in Bethlehem, PA vs $432 in Alesund – so Alesund wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bethlehem, PA vs Alesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,673 in Bethlehem, PA, $2,382 in Alesund – roughly 12% apart. Bethlehem, PA costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,010 per month in Bethlehem, PA and $3,573 in Alesund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alesund, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Bethlehem, PA and $91.0 in Alesund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Bethlehem, PA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alesund, where all-in costs run around $2,382, than in Bethlehem, PA at $2,673. In Alesund it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bethlehem, PA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Alesund has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,382 in Alesund to $2,673 in Bethlehem, PA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Alesund. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bethlehem, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.